Hundreds of government employees from across Rajasthan converged in Jaipur on Monday, staging a significant one-day demonstration to voice their frustration over long-standing service-related grievances. The protest, organized at Shaheed Smarak, saw a massive gathering demanding immediate government intervention.
Core Demands: Vacancies and Anomalies Take Center Stage
Led by Mahendra Singh, the chief of the Akhil Rajasthan Rajya Karamchari Sanyukt Mahasangh (Ekikrit), the protesters highlighted critical issues plaguing the state's administration, with a sharp focus on the education sector. A primary concern was the alarming shortage of teaching staff in government schools. The Mahasangh revealed a staggering figure: more than 1.25 lakh posts are currently vacant within the education department alone.
Employees raised specific problems, including the controversial transfer policies for Grade-III teachers and an excessively slow posting process for newly recruited teachers assigned to Mahatma Gandhi Schools. Beyond education, the protest encompassed wider systemic failures. Participants flagged persistent salary anomalies, inordinate delays in promotions, and other service condition irregularities affecting employees across numerous departments.
Statewide Participation and Government Assurance
The demonstration reflected widespread discontent, drawing workers from several distant districts to the capital in large numbers. The protest's scale was underscored by the participation of approximately 55 constituent organisations. This coalition included various teachers' associations, unions for nurses and paramedical staff, anganwadi workers, animal husbandry department employees, diploma engineers, yoga instructors, and bodies representing staff from several other departments.
A delegation from the Mahasangh subsequently submitted a detailed memorandum to Akhil Arora, the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) in the Chief Minister's Office, and held discussions to press their demands. Following the talks, the ACS provided an assurance. He stated that the state government, under the chief minister's guidance, would hold cadre-wise discussions before the upcoming budget session to address the employees' issues.
Warning of Escalated Agitation if Demands Ignored
However, the employee union has signaled that patience is wearing thin. Vipin Prakash Sharma, the Mahasangh's state general secretary, issued a clear warning. He stated that if the government fails to resolve their demands ahead of the budget session, employees would be compelled to launch a phased agitation across the entire state. This move could potentially disrupt administrative functions and escalate the confrontation between the state workforce and the government.
The protest in Jaipur has successfully brought the pressing issues of massive vacancies, especially in education, and systemic employment grievances back into the political spotlight, setting a clear deadline for action coinciding with the state's budget proceedings.
